US committed to providing non-lethal aid to Syria opposition

US Secretary of State John Kerry says the US will double its non-lethal
assistance to Syria's opposition as the rebels' top supporters vowed to
enhance and expand their backing of the two-year battle to oust President
Bashar Assad's regime.

12:09PM BST 21 Apr 2013

The additional aid, which brings total non-lethal US assistance to the opposition to $250 million since the fighting began, highlighted the United States' support for a political solution to the crisis in Syria, Mr Kerry said.

He said a portion of the new money would be used to follow through on President Barack Obama's recent authorisation to expand direct supplies to the Free Syrian Army beyond food and medical supplies to include defensive items.

Yet the pledge fell far short of what the opposition had made clear it wanted: weapons and direct military intervention to stop the violence that has killed more than 70-thousand people.

The Syrian National Coalition had sought drone strikes on sites from which the regime has fired missiles, the imposition of no-fly zones and protected humanitarian corridors to ensure the safety of civilians.

Instead, the Obama administration's pledged to provide an additional $123 million in aid, which may include for the first time armoured vehicles, body armour, night vision goggles and other defensive military supplies.

It was the only tangible, public offer of new international support as the foreign ministers of the 11 main countries supporting the opposition met in a marathon session in Istanbul.

Mr Kerry also announced nearly $25m in additional food assistance for Syrians who remain inside the country as well as those who have fled to neighbouring countries, bringing the total US humanitarian contribution to the crisis to more than $ 409m.

While pleased with the US moves, the opposition appeared deeply disappointed, especially as it lost some ground in the latest clashes with Syrian troops backed by pro-government gunmen capturing at least one village in a strategic area near the Lebanese border.

Mr Kerry, referring to a recent escalation of the violence, also said that the "bloodshed needs to stop."